Neighborhood Tokyo

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Neighborhood Tokyo

Author : Theodore C. Bestor
Publisher : Stanford University Press
ISBN 13 : 0804717974
Total Pages : 752 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (47 download)

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Book Synopsis Neighborhood Tokyo by : Theodore C. Bestor

Download or read book Neighborhood Tokyo written by Theodore C. Bestor and published by Stanford University Press. This book was released on 1989 with total page 752 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the vastness of Tokyo these are tiny social units, and by the standards that most Americans would apply, they are perhaps far too small, geographically and demographically, to be considered "neighborhoods." Still, to residents of Tokyo and particularly to the residents of any given subsection of the city, they are socially significant and geographically distinguishable divisions of the urban landscape. In neighborhoods such as these, overlapping and intertwining associations and institutions provide an elaborate and enduring framework for local social life, within which residents are linked to one another not only through their participation in local organizations, but also through webs of informal social, economic, and political ties. This book is an ethnographic analysis of the social fabric and internal dynamics of one such neighborhood: Miyamoto-cho, a pseudonym for a residential and commercial district in Tokyo where the author carried out fieldwork from June 1979 to May 1981, and during several summers since. It is a study of the social construction and maintenance of a neighborhood in a society where such communities are said to be outmoded, even antithetical to the major trends of modernization and social change that have transformed Japan in the last hundred years. It is a study not of tradition as an aspect of historical continuity, but of traditionalism: the manipulation, invention, and recombination of cultural patterns, symbols, and motifs so as to legitimate contemporary social realities by imbuing them with a patina of venerable historicity. It is a study of often subtle and muted struggles between insiders and outsiders over those most ephemeral of the community's resources, its identity and sense of autonomy, enacted in the seemingly insubstantial idioms of cultural tradition.

Tokyo on Foot

Author : Florent Chavouet
Publisher : Tuttle Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1462906400
Total Pages : 216 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (629 download)

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Book Synopsis Tokyo on Foot by : Florent Chavouet

Download or read book Tokyo on Foot written by Florent Chavouet and published by Tuttle Publishing. This book was released on 2012-10-23 with total page 216 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This prize-winning book is both an illustrated tour of a Tokyo rarely seen in Japan travel guides and an artist's warm, funny, visually rich, and always entertaining graphic memoir. Florent Chavouet, a young graphic artist, spent six months exploring Tokyo while his girlfriend interned at a company there. Each day he would set forth with a pouch full of color pencils and a sketchpad, and visit different neighborhoods. This stunning book records the city that he got to know during his adventures. It isn't the Tokyo of packaged tours and glossy guidebooks, but a grittier, vibrant place, full of ordinary people going about their daily lives and the scenes and activities that unfold on the streets of a bustling metropolis. Here you find businessmen and women, hipsters, students, grandmothers, shopkeepers, policemen, and other urban types and tribes in all manner of dress and hairstyles. A temple nestles among skyscrapers; the corner grocery anchors a diverse assortment of dwellings, cafes, and shops--often tangled in electric lines. The artist mixes styles and tags his pictures with wry comments and observations. Realistically rendered advertisements or posters of pop stars contrast with cartoon sketches of iconic objects or droll vignettes, like a housewife walking her pet pig, a Godzilla statue in a local park, and an urban fishing pond that charges 400 yen per half hour. This very personal guide to Tokyo is organized by neighborhood with hand-drawn maps that provide an overview of each neighborhood, but what really defines them is what caught the artist's eye and attracted his formidable drawing talent. Florent Chavouet begins his introduction by observing that, "Tokyo is said to be the most beautiful of ugly cities." With wit, a playful sense of humor, and the multicolor pencils of his kit, he sets aside the question of urban ugliness or beauty and captures the Japanese essence of a great city in this truly vital portrait.

Sacred High City, Sacred Low City

Author : Steven Heine
Publisher : Oxford University Press
ISBN 13 : 0195386205
Total Pages : 232 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (953 download)

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Book Synopsis Sacred High City, Sacred Low City by : Steven Heine

Download or read book Sacred High City, Sacred Low City written by Steven Heine and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2012 with total page 232 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Sacred High City, Sacred Low City, Steven Heine argues that lived religion in Japan functions as an integral part of daily life; any apparent lack of interest masks a fundamental commitment to participating regularly in diverse, though diffused, religious practices. The book uses case studies of religious sites at two representative but contrasting Tokyo neighborhoods as a basis for reflecting on this apparently contradictory quality. In what ways does Japan continue to carry on and adapt tradition, and to what extent has modern secular society lost touch with the traditional elements of religion? Or does Japanese religiosity reflect another, possibly postmodern, alternative beyond the dichotomy of sacred and secular, in which religious differences as well as a seeming indifference to religion are encompassed as part of a contemporary lifestyle?

Strong Towns

Author : Charles L. Marohn, Jr.
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
ISBN 13 : 1119564816
Total Pages : 262 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (195 download)

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Book Synopsis Strong Towns by : Charles L. Marohn, Jr.

Download or read book Strong Towns written by Charles L. Marohn, Jr. and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2019-10-01 with total page 262 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A new way forward for sustainable quality of life in cities of all sizes Strong Towns: A Bottom-Up Revolution to Build American Prosperity is a book of forward-thinking ideas that breaks with modern wisdom to present a new vision of urban development in the United States. Presenting the foundational ideas of the Strong Towns movement he co-founded, Charles Marohn explains why cities of all sizes continue to struggle to meet their basic needs, and reveals the new paradigm that can solve this longstanding problem. Inside, you’ll learn why inducing growth and development has been the conventional response to urban financial struggles—and why it just doesn’t work. New development and high-risk investing don’t generate enough wealth to support itself, and cities continue to struggle. Read this book to find out how cities large and small can focus on bottom-up investments to minimize risk and maximize their ability to strengthen the community financially and improve citizens’ quality of life. Develop in-depth knowledge of the underlying logic behind the “traditional” search for never-ending urban growth Learn practical solutions for ameliorating financial struggles through low-risk investment and a grassroots focus Gain insights and tools that can stop the vicious cycle of budget shortfalls and unexpected downturns Become a part of the Strong Towns revolution by shifting the focus away from top-down growth toward rebuilding American prosperity Strong Towns acknowledges that there is a problem with the American approach to growth and shows community leaders a new way forward. The Strong Towns response is a revolution in how we assemble the places we live.

Neighborhood Associations and Local Governance in Japan

Author : Robert J. Pekkanen
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 1317754433
Total Pages : 258 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (177 download)

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Book Synopsis Neighborhood Associations and Local Governance in Japan by : Robert J. Pekkanen

Download or read book Neighborhood Associations and Local Governance in Japan written by Robert J. Pekkanen and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2014-06-20 with total page 258 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Although local neighborhood associations are found in many countries, Japan’s are distinguished by their ubiquity, scope of activities, and very high participation rates, making them important for the study of society and politics. Most Japanese belong to one local neighborhood association or another, making them Japan’s most numerous civil society organization, and one that powerfully shapes governance outcomes in the country. And, they also often blur the state-society boundary, making them theoretically intriguing. Neighborhood Associations and Local Governance in Japan draws on a unique and novel body of empirical data derived from the first national survey of neighborhood associations carried out in 2007 and provides a multifaceted empirical portrait of Japan’s neighborhood associations. It examines how local associational structures affect the quality of local governance, and thus the quality of life for Japan’s citizens and residents, and illuminates the way in which these ambiguous associations can help us refine civil society theory and show how they contribute to governance. As well as outlining the key features of neighbourhood associations, the book goes on to examine in detail the way in which neighbourhood associations contribute to governance, in terms of social capital, networks with other community organizations, social service provision, cooperation with local governments and political participation. This book will be welcomed by students and scholars of Japanese politics, Japanese society, anthropology, urban studies as well as those interested in social capital and civil society.

Emergent Tokyo

Author : Jorge Almazan
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9781951541323
Total Pages : 250 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (413 download)

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Book Synopsis Emergent Tokyo by : Jorge Almazan

Download or read book Emergent Tokyo written by Jorge Almazan and published by . This book was released on 2022-04-12 with total page 250 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book examines the urban fabric of contemporary Tokyo as a valuable demonstration of permeable, inclusive, and adaptive urban patterns that required neither extensive master planning nor corporate urbanism to develop. These urban patterns are emergent: that is, they are the combined result of numerous modifications and appropriations of space by small agents interacting within a broader socio-economic ecosystem. Together, they create a degree of urban intensity and liveliness that is the envy of the world's cities. This book examines five of these patterns that appear conspicuously throughout Tokyo: yokocho alleyways, multi-tenant zakkyo buildings, undertrack infills, low-rise dense neighborhoods, and the river-like ankyo streets. Unlike many of the discussions on Tokyo that emphasise cultural uniqueness, this book aims at transcultural validity, with a focus on empirical analysis of the spatial and social conditions that allow these patterns to emerge. The authors of Emergent Tokyo acknowledge the distinct character of Tokyo without essentialising or fetishising it, offering visitors, architects, and urban policy practitioners an unparalleled understanding of Tokyo's urban landscape.

I Live in Tokyo

Author : Mari Takabayashi
Publisher : Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
ISBN 13 : 0547530927
Total Pages : 32 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (475 download)

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Book Synopsis I Live in Tokyo by : Mari Takabayashi

Download or read book I Live in Tokyo written by Mari Takabayashi and published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. This book was released on 2004-11-06 with total page 32 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Have you ever been to Tokyo, Japan? Far away, in the Pacific Ocean, Tokyo is a busy city of color, activity, celebrations, gigantic buildings, and much more. Seven-year-old Mimiko lives in Tokyo, and here you can follow a year’s worth of fun, food and festivities in Mimiko’s life, month by month. Learn the right way to put on a kimono and see Mimiko’s top ten favorite meals—just try not to eat the pages featuring delicious wagashi!

Tokyo Fashion City

Author : Philomena Keet
Publisher : Tuttle Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1462918476
Total Pages : 144 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (629 download)

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Book Synopsis Tokyo Fashion City by : Philomena Keet

Download or read book Tokyo Fashion City written by Philomena Keet and published by Tuttle Publishing. This book was released on 2016-09-13 with total page 144 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The fashionable, eccentric pedestrians of Tokyo are captured with hundreds of portrait photographs in this fun guide to Tokyo street fashion. Tokyo is considered one of the world's style capitals for its vibrant youth fashion culture. Part guide book, part fashion photography album, Tokyo Fashion City takes a stroll through eight Tokyo neighborhoods, each with its own unique fashion characteristics, to see what streetwise young Tokyoites are wearing, where they're shopping, what they're eating and drinking, and where they're hanging out. Author Philomena Keet and photographer Yuri Manabe accompany the reader to Harajuku where high fashion rubs shoulders with hip-hop style; to Shibuya, birthplace of the "gal" and stomping ground for Tokyo's most sophisticated fashionistas; to hipster hangout Daikanyama; to the goth and geek meccas of Shinjuku and Ikebukuro; to bohemian Koenji and otaku neighborhood Nakano; to Ginza's lunching ladies and dapper gentlemen; to the cosplay paradise of Akihabara; and to the narrow lanes of East Tokyo, where everyday Japanese fashion gets a traditional touch. Each chapter is packed with photographs of young fashionistas captured as they go about their daily lives, with info-rich captions, and insightful text giving the background to the trends and tribes featured. With the inclusion of area maps, and shop and cafe listings, Tokyo Fashion City is an indispensable resource for readers wishing to keep a finger on Tokyo's style pulse.

The Ethics of Affect

Author : Patrick W. Galbraith
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9789176351598
Total Pages : 360 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (515 download)

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Book Synopsis The Ethics of Affect by : Patrick W. Galbraith

Download or read book The Ethics of Affect written by Patrick W. Galbraith and published by . This book was released on 2021-09-20 with total page 360 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Based on ongoing fieldwork in the Akihabara neighborhood of Tokyo, specifically a targeted subproject from 2014 to 2015, this book explores how and to what effect lines are drawn by producers, players and critics of bishōjo games. Focusing on interactions with manga/anime-style characters, these adult computer games often feature explicit sex acts. Noting that the bishōjo, or "cute girl characters," in these games can appear quite young, legal actions have been taken in a number of countries to categorize and prohibit the content as child abuse material. In response to the risk of manga/anime images encouraging underage sexualization, lawmakers are moved to regulate them in the same way as photographs or film; triggered by images, the line between fiction and reality is erased, or redrawn to collapse forms together. While Japanese politicians continue to debate a similar course, sustained engagement with bishōjo game producers, players and critics sheds light on alternative movement. Manga/anime-style characters trigger an affective response in interactions with their creators and users, who draw and negotiate lines between fiction and reality. Interacting with characters and one another, bishōjo gamers draw lines between what is fictional and what is "real," even as the characters are real in their own right and relations with them are extended beyond games; some even see the characters as significant others and refer to them using intimate terms of commitment such as "my wife." This book argues for understanding the everyday practice of insisting on lines, or drawing a line between humans and nonhumans and orienting oneself toward the drawn lines of the latter, as demonstrating an emergent form of ethics. Occurring individually and socially in both private and public spaces, the response to fictional characters not only discourages harming human beings, but also supports life in more-than-human worlds. For many in contemporary Japan and beyond, interactions and relations with fictional and real others are nothing short of lifelines.

Neighborhood

Author : Emily Talen
Publisher : Oxford University Press
ISBN 13 : 0190907517
Total Pages : 288 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (99 download)

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Book Synopsis Neighborhood by : Emily Talen

Download or read book Neighborhood written by Emily Talen and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2018-11-28 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The term neighborhood has been reduced to a word for a convenient geographical locator. In fact, most cities claim to be compiled of neighborhoods, but this strays far from the term's original meaning - a spatial unit that people relate to. Neighborhood seeks to dispel this common misconception by integrating a complex historical record and multidisciplinary literature to produce a singular resource for understanding what is meant by neighborhood. Emily Talen provides a multi-dimensional, comprehensive view of what neighborhoods signify how they're idealized and measured, and what their historical progression has been. Talen balances perspectives from sociology, urban history, urban planning, and sustainability among others in efforts to make neighborhoods compatible with 21st century ideals. If neighborhoods are going to play a role in the future of the city, we need to know what and where they are in a more meaningful way. Neighborhoods need to be more than a label and more than a social segregator. For those living in the undefined expanse of contemporary urbanism-which characterizes most of American cities-can the neighborhood come to be more than a shaded area on a map?

Tokyo Phantasmagoria

Author : Kenny Loui
Publisher : Universal-Publishers
ISBN 13 : 1599426765
Total Pages : 92 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (994 download)

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Book Synopsis Tokyo Phantasmagoria by : Kenny Loui

Download or read book Tokyo Phantasmagoria written by Kenny Loui and published by Universal-Publishers. This book was released on 2008 with total page 92 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As the sun set on the 20th century, a new age dawned in Japan. This new era, symbolized by the postmodern city of Tokyo, has ushered in not only technological innovation and economic prowess, but changing attitudes and values among Japanese young people. This transformation is not an uncommon or even new phenomenon, but simply the result of modern life. And one of the symptoms of modernity is the prevalence of an "ethics of materialism," the ever-increasing concern for the acquisition of wealth and commodity goods, sometimes at the expense of the concern for human life itself. Walter Benjamin (1892-1940) was a German-Jewish philosopher whose writings examined topics including, but not limited to, art, history, and politics. His life's work, published posthumously as The Arcades Project, is a "literary montage" combining excerpts from written works related to life in 19th-century Paris and Benjamin's own commentaries and reflections. Benjamin's project on Paris of the 19th century foreshadows what is now occurring in 21st-century Tokyo, and Japan in general. Like the Paris of yesteryear, life in modern Tokyo is essentially a "dream image" that warps people's perception of the world in which they live. The public thus finds itself trapped in what Benjamin refers to as the "phantasmagoria," an illusory reality of a relatively flawless society. But this phantasmagoria shrouds the "grotesqueness" of underlying truths such as the failure of advances in science and philosophy to eradicate poverty, discrimination and other social inequities. Drawing from a selection of Benjamin's writings including The Arcades Project, this thesis explores the social consequences as well as the political implications of the rise of commodity capitalism in modern Japan, concluding with a discussion on how political action can re-humanize a citizenry that has been "commodified" by their materialistic desires. Walter Benjamin wrote about a past generation while appealing to his own, and as this discourse on the Tokyo Phantasmagoria will reveal, Benjamin appeals to our generation as well.

Art Space Tokyo

Author : Ashley Rawlings
Publisher : Chin Music
ISBN 13 : 9780974199559
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (995 download)

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Book Synopsis Art Space Tokyo by : Ashley Rawlings

Download or read book Art Space Tokyo written by Ashley Rawlings and published by Chin Music. This book was released on 2008 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This beautiful guide to Tokyo's most exciting art galleries is a must-read for art lovers planning trips to Tokyo or looking to understand the art scene in contemporary Japan. In-depth interviews with curators and essays by leading art critics bring these exciting art spaces to life for an English-speaking audience.

Urban Spaces in Japan

Author : Christoph Brumann
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 0415695457
Total Pages : 242 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (156 download)

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Book Synopsis Urban Spaces in Japan by : Christoph Brumann

Download or read book Urban Spaces in Japan written by Christoph Brumann and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2012 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Urban Spaces in Japan explores the workings of power, money and the public interest in the planning and design of Japanese space. Through a set of vivid case studies of well-known Japanese cities including Tokyo, Kobe, and Kyoto, this book examines the potential of civil society in contemporary planning debates. Further, it addresses the implications of Japan's biggest social problem - the demographic decline - for Japanese cities, and demonstrates the serious challenges and exciting possibilities that result from the impending end of Japan's urban growth. Presenting a synthetic approach that reflects both the physical aspects and the social significance of urban spaces, this book scrutinizes the precise patterns of urban expansion and shrinkage. In doing so, it also summarizes current theories of public space, urban space, and the body in space which are relevant to both Japan and the wider international debate. With detailed case studies and more general reflections from a broad range of disciplines, this collection of essays demonstrates the value of cross-disciplinary cooperation. As such, it is of interest to students and scholars of geography and urban planning as well as history, anthropology and cultural studies.

From Little Tokyo, with Love

Author : Sarah Kuhn
Publisher : Penguin
ISBN 13 : 0593327500
Total Pages : 433 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (933 download)

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Book Synopsis From Little Tokyo, with Love by : Sarah Kuhn

Download or read book From Little Tokyo, with Love written by Sarah Kuhn and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2024-04-30 with total page 433 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: One of People magazine's Best Books of Summer! "Evocatively written and beautiful in its rage, From Little Tokyo, with Love is one to treasure." —Helen Hoang, USA Today bestselling author of The Kiss Quotient Celebrated author Sarah Kuhn reinvents the modern fairy tale in this intensely personal yet hilarious novel of a girl whose search for a storybook ending takes her to unexpected places in both her beloved LA neighborhood and her own guarded heart. At first glance, Rika's life might seem like the beginning of a familiar fairy tale—after all, she's an orphan with two bossy cousins, a demanding job in the family business, and an ever-present feeling that she doesn't quite belong. But as a biracial girl with formidable judo skills and a firey temper, Rika knows she is the least princess-like person in all of LA. So when a series of tantalizing clues spread out over her Little Tokyo neighborhood seem to point her to her mother being alive, Rika has to take a leap of faith (accompanied by cute actor Hank Chen) that a girl like her might deserve happiness too. But as their madcap quest brings her closer to the truth—and closer to Hank—her doubts and insecurities threaten to destroy everything. In the sudden fairy tale that's taken over her life, Rika must decide if she's destined for tragedy . . . or brave enough to write her own happy ending.

Food Sake Tokyo

Author : Yukari Sakamoto
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 189214574X
Total Pages : 306 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (921 download)

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Book Synopsis Food Sake Tokyo by : Yukari Sakamoto

Download or read book Food Sake Tokyo written by Yukari Sakamoto and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Japanese cuisine.

Moon Living Abroad Japan

Author : Ruthy Kanagy
Publisher : Moon Travel
ISBN 13 : 1631216406
Total Pages : 554 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (312 download)

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Book Synopsis Moon Living Abroad Japan by : Ruthy Kanagy

Download or read book Moon Living Abroad Japan written by Ruthy Kanagy and published by Moon Travel. This book was released on 2017-09-12 with total page 554 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Moon Travel Guides: Make Your Move! From visas, to job-hunting, to cultural assimilation, get a head start on your life-changing move with Moon Living Abroad Japan. Inside you'll find: Practical information on setting up the essentials, including visas, finances, employment, education, and healthcare Firsthand insight on navigating the language and culture from experienced expat Ruthy Kanagy, an American raised in Japan Tips on finding housing that suits your needs and budget, whether you're renting or buying A thorough survey of the many regions, provinces, and individual cultures that Japan encompasses, to help you find the right new home for you Interviews with other expats who share their personal experiences building successful lives abroad How to plan a fact-finding trip before making the move to familiarize yourself with aspects of daily life in Japan: internet and phone access, schooling, banking, insurance, travel, transportation, and more Special tips for those making the move with children or pets Moon Living Abroad Japan takes the hassle out of planning your move, giving you the insider tips, practical resources, and local know-how to start your new life abroad!

Roppongi Crossing

Author : Roman A. Cybriwsky
Publisher : University of Georgia Press
ISBN 13 : 082033832X
Total Pages : 324 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (23 download)

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Book Synopsis Roppongi Crossing by : Roman A. Cybriwsky

Download or read book Roppongi Crossing written by Roman A. Cybriwsky and published by University of Georgia Press. This book was released on 2011 with total page 324 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For most of the latter half of the twentieth century, Roppongi was an enormously popular nightclub district that stood out from the other pleasure quarters of Tokyo for its mix of international entertainment and people. It was where Japanese and foreigners went to meet and play. With the crash of Japan's bubble economy in the 1990s, however, the neighborhood declined, and it now has a reputation as perhaps Tokyo's most dangerous district—a hotbed of illegal narcotics, prostitution, and other crimes. Its concentration of “bad foreigners,” many from China, Russia and Eastern Europe, West Africa, and Southeast Asia is thought to be the source of the trouble. Roman Adrian Cybriwsky examines how Roppongi's nighttime economy is now under siege by both heavy-handed police action and the conservative Japanese “construction state,” an alliance of large private builders and political interests with broad discretion to redevelop Tokyo. The construction state sees an opportunity to turn prime real estate into high-end residential and retail projects that will “clean up” the area and make Tokyo more competitive with Shanghai and other rising business centers in Asia. Roppongi Crossing is a revealing ethnography of what is arguably the most dynamic district in one of the world's most dynamic cities. Based on extensive fieldwork, it looks at the interplay between the neighborhood's nighttime rhythms; its emerging daytime economy of office towers and shopping malls; Japan's ongoing internationalization and changing ethnic mix; and Roppongi Hills and Tokyo Midtown, the massive new construction projects now looming over the old playground.